Women Unlimitedhttp://womenunlimitedworldwide.com
Women leading womenThu, 18 Jan 2018 08:59:49 +0000enhourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4There is lots of small business advice out there, but most of it seems to be dull as dishwater or not relevant for the micro business owner. Julie Hall, the founder of Women Unlimited Worldwide (www.womeunlimitedworldwide.com) has decided that the time has come to get real about running a small business. There are a lot of balls to juggle when you are running a micro business by yourself or with a very small team, so in this podcast we interview micro business owners who are kicking ass and really know their stuff. Some have reached the pinnacle of their success and others are on their way. This is real business by real small business owners. Men and women who have found their flow, who are getting results and who know what they are doing. You'll hear some of their best tips and tricks and ways that you can use to grow your own micro business.Julie Hall | Entrepreneur | Small Business Champion | Founder of Women Unlimited WorldwideJulie Hall | Entrepreneur | Small Business Champion | Founder of Women Unlimited Worldwidejulie@women-unlimited.co.ukjulie@women-unlimited.co.uk (Julie Hall | Entrepreneur | Small Business Champion | Founder of Women Unlimited Worldwide)The real busines podcast for small business ownersWomen Unlimitedhttp://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/WUlogo1.pnghttp://womenunlimitedworldwide.com
Weekly25769469http://feeds.feedburner.com/womenunlimited?format=skinwomenunlimitedhttps://feedburner.google.comSubscribe with My Yahoo!Subscribe with FeedlySubscribe with SubToMeSubscribe with BloglinesSubscribe with NetvibesSubscribe with Bitty BrowserSubscribe with Daily RotationSubscribe with My AOLSubscribe with WikioSubscribe with PageflakesSubscribe with Excite MIXSubscribe with GoogleSubscribe with FlurrySubscribe with The Free DictionarySubscribe with Podcast ReadySubscribe with NewsGatorSubscribe with WebwagSubscribe with Live.comSubscribe with PlusmoSubscribe with NewsAlloySubscribe with Attensa for OutlookHey, thanks for subscribing to our feed. Here are our latest news, articles and videos for you.7 questions to ask yourself before you give up on your dreamhttp://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/7-questions-to-ask-yourself-before-you-give-up-on-your-dream/
http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/7-questions-to-ask-yourself-before-you-give-up-on-your-dream/#commentsSun, 10 Sep 2017 18:52:43 +0000http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/?p=27458Starting a business venture can be a scary and exciting prospect . Sometimes we can lose sight of the reasons why we even began down the path in the first place and doubt can creep in. If you are experiencing any of those feelings at the moment, here are some questions to ask yourself to help bring back clarity on the reasons for why you decided to work for yourself.

]]>Pursuing a dream can be a scary and exciting prospect. Sometimes we can lose sight of the reasons why we even began down the path in the first place and doubt can creep in. If you are experiencing any of those feelings at the moment, here are some questions to ask yourself to help bring back clarity on the reasons for why you started in the first place.

1. Why did you start this goal? Has anything changed?

You had the light bulb moment – a beacon of possibility when you realised you could make your business plan a reality! The thought of endless financial earnings, or the freedom to work hours to fit your lifestyle?

As your business grew maybe you have let go of those thoughts as you focused on making your business successful and hopes of “having it all” slipped away. But what if you can still achieve all you hoped for by pushing past the barriers holding you back?

2. Are you overwhelmed by too much information?

The internet provides unlimited information and it is so easy to get lost in a trail of website links promising the secret to success via online articles, blog posts, downloads, training sessions and forums.

So what happens if you decide to hunt the internet for the answers? Save time and energy; create a small focused plan.

3. Did you set a smart goal? SMART goals are:

Specific – Picture the future when you reach your goal and keep this in mind.Measurable – Make landmarks to reach and enjoy each achievement.Attainable – With the right mind set and skills your dreams and goals can become a reality.Realistic – Success will not find you. Invest time, energy and skill to achieve success.Time-Bound – Use a timeline so that you can push yourself to meet self-imposed deadlines.

Make sure you have a SMART goal with a clear view of what you want to achieve and how you plan to go about it. Without this you are relying on chance to succeed.

4. Are you afraid of success?

Don’t let fear hold you back.

If the thought of taking on more responsibility fills you with dread ask yourself why? Then ask yourself how you can remove the dread. Be proactive and build relationships with other positive people who can help you on your way.

Sometimes we fail. Remember it is not the end of the world as long as we pick ourselves up and try again. Worrying what others think of you will slow your journey to success. Never forget the harshest critic of you is YOU.

5. Would your life improve if you gave up on this goal?

Imagine giving up on your dream – what does life look life? If it looks bleak don’t give up. If giving up opens up the possibility of a better life then perhaps your goal was too demanding for your life right now. Either adapt your goal and rein it in or stop completely.

6. How much have you already put in?

Measure how much you have invested in your goal. Not just financially, but time, energy and sacrifices made. It’s likely your family and friends have taken a back seat while you find your feet in the business world. The plus side of this is that studies have shown that the more we have invested into something the more likely we are to stick with it.

If you feel your confidence is waning think about all you have invested, because at some point you had complete confidence that you can do this.

7. What would you tell someone else if they were in your position?

Take some of your own advice; if a friend was in your situation what would you say to them?

Sometimes you need a friend to be completely honest with you so you can get your worries off your chest. Hearing someone else say they believe in you is a wonderful motivator.

Do you still want to give up?

If you are not sure if you should give up yet, don’t. Push forwards towards your dream; doubt is only our mind giving contradictory opinions and as a living breathing force to be reckoned with you can chose to move on and leave your doubt behind.

If you are feeling stuck in a rut, change something small and see how it alters your perspective. Take an extra hour off midweek or start the day with a positive mantra.

Biography

After gaining her Law degree in 2012 Sarah Buttery made the decision to go it alone and start her own business as she wanted the freedom and independence of being her own boss, and above all the opportunity to make her own decisions.

]]>http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/7-questions-to-ask-yourself-before-you-give-up-on-your-dream/feed/127458How to get more balance when you are feeling challengedhttp://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/get-more-balance-in-your-life/
http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/get-more-balance-in-your-life/#commentsSat, 09 Sep 2017 09:00:56 +0000http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/?p=28951Do you swing between feeling good and challenged in your life? Here’s how to keep them both in balance. If you spend anytime in a gym, you’ll have seen how weightlifters train. It’s a gradual, conscious process of slowly building up strength through challenge and release. It’s a gradual, conscious process of slowly building up strength […]

How to balance stretch and release

We’ve all grown up learning how to do some of both, and of course, we need to. But we’re naturally better at one than the other – meaning that we do it more automatically, and with less stress.

The difference between Thinking and Doing personalities

If you’re a Thinker by preference, you’ll be energized by ideas, connections, purpose or visions. You’re likely to enjoy working with concepts or which have a strong fundamental purpose.

However, when a Thinker is under pressure, tired or stressed, you’ll find it challenging to get things started or to stick with something that involves lots of implementation. Do too much of that, and a Thinker ends up with a pile of ideas, and business that doesn’t move.

A Doer, by contrast, loves to get stuck in and keep things moving. If you’re a Doer, you’ll want to make practical progress you can see, right now.

On the other hand, when you’re under stress, you’ll resist having to take a step back to evaluate what’s going on. That means that a stressed Doer risks haring off in the wrong direction, wasting even more time and energy.

Why your preferences shape your success

When you’re well rested and energised, you can easily compensate for your weaknesses. You can use your weaker muscle because it’s had enough rest.

But working in the way that isn’t natural takes more effort.

That means that as you get more stressed, you’ll revert even more to your preferred way of working. So a Thinker finds it harder and harder to take effective action, while a Doer buries themselves deeper and deeper in mindless busyness.

And the problem you’re facing? It’s just got worse.

How to work with your weaker muscles

Look for circumstances where you’re likely to need your ‘weaker muscle’ for an extended period. Thinkers are likely to be challenged by a big practical project, while Doers will be stretched by a period of extended analysis or thinking.

Your goals is to use your natural muscles as much as you can while managing the amount of stress you place on your weaker ones.

Firstly, consider how you can maximise your existing strengths in that project. Just asking yourself that question often brings up new ideas and ways you could approach it.

So, here are the 5 keys

Build up your weaker muscle before you need it. That could be learning a new skill you’ll need, doing research and planning in advance or creating habits around doing routine jobs that are challenging.

Consider what systems you can put in place now to make your life easier when the pressure builds. Automate as much as you can, especially for things that you tend to delay doing or that take more effort for you.

Bring in help that supports your area of weakness, ideally before you need it. Once you hit stress, you’ll be much less able to think clearly and take action to outsource or delegate.

Spread the load by starting work on challenging areas before you need to. You’ll almost certainly have a tendency to want to put it off by telling yourself it will be fine. It might be, but at a cost.

Schedule challenging work for times when you’re well rested. If you find mundane tasks massively difficult, you may need to do them first thing in the morning, no matter what conventional time management tells you.

Balance out your challenges by doing work that plays to your natural preferences. Whether that’s over the course of a day or a week, make sure you give yourself time to recover. Lift. Relax. Lift. Relax. What’s one thing can you do in your business today to use your natural strength and build your weaker muscle deliberately?

]]>http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/get-more-balance-in-your-life/feed/328951Why Women are Great Entrepreneurshttp://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/the-leader-inside-the-skills-and-strengths-that-make-women-excellent-entrepreneurs/
http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/the-leader-inside-the-skills-and-strengths-that-make-women-excellent-entrepreneurs/#commentsWed, 30 Aug 2017 09:00:48 +0000http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/?p=28922In the past, business was viewed as very much a man’s world, but as opportunities for women in the workplace have expanded, female entrepreneurs have started to seize the initiative and make their presence felt. Indeed, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor there were an estimated 126 million women starting or running new businesses around […]

]]>In the past, business was viewed as very much a man’s world, but as opportunities for women in the workplace have expanded, female entrepreneurs have started to seize the initiative and make their presence felt. Indeed, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor there were an estimated 126 million women starting or running new businesses around the world in 2012. Meanwhile, 98 million female entrepreneurs were in charge of established companies and 48 million women business owners employed one or more people in their companies.

It’s not surprising that women are taking to the business sphere in such numbers. Female entrepreneurs can possess a whole range of skills and strengths that make them excellent leaders and decision makers, and here are just a few.

Social and emotional intelligence

One of things that can help to set businesswomen apart is their impressive levels of social and emotional intelligence. According to Simon Baron-Cohen, professor of developmental psychopathology at the University of Cambridge, while men tend to think in a more systemised manner, women can be better at empathising.

This may help female entrepreneurs in a whole range of ways. By being attuned to the feelings of those around them, women can build strong interpersonal relationships that benefit their businesses. These skills are helpful when it comes to building trust and growing influence. They might also help women to create more harmonious working environments. In addition, strong emotional intelligence could prove useful when it comes to responding to customer needs and desires. Ultimately, this is good news for companies’ sales figures and their bottom lines.

Of course, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to the personalities of men and women in the business realm, but women are typically associated with higher levels of this particular type of intelligence.

Curiosity and lifelong learning

Many women, particularly those working in male-dominated industries, must work especially hard to achieve the success they’re after. They also often feel a strong need to prove themselves and show that they’re more than capable of performing their roles. One effect of this continual striving is that women can be more open to and curious about lifelong learning opportunities. By taking additional qualifications to enhance their CVs, they can be sure to demonstrate their skills and expertise beyond all doubt.

One popular option among ambitious entrepreneurs, both men and women, is the Masters of Business Administration (MBA). Many people who are either already running a company or in full-time employment opt for the executive MBA. Designed for working professionals, these courses tend to be flexible and allow students to fit their study around their busy schedules. For instance, learners can often attend classes in the evenings and at weekends. This can be a must for busy businesswomen who struggle to take time out during the typical working day.

The thirst for knowledge and readiness to learn that many female entrepreneurs show is helping to redefine gender roles and stereotypes in the workplace.

Cooperation and collaboration

Another skill that is often associated with women is a willingness and desire to cooperate and collaborate with others. There’s a lot of anecdotal evidence that supports the idea that women are often eager to pool their knowledge and abilities with others to achieve the best results, and a number of scientific studies have backed this idea up. Research conducted by Peter Kuhn and Marie-Claire Villeval for the National Bureau of Economic Research suggested that women were more likely to defer to their peers in group scenarios.

Knowing when to delegate tasks and when to tap the expertise of others is a crucial business skill. It can help people to run their organisations more efficiently and effectively, and enable them to gain a competitive edge over their rivals. In contrast, trying to be a jack of all trades and micro-manage all aspects of a business can have disastrous consequences for bosses. As well as causing potentially unmanageable levels of stress and pressure, this approach can lead to mistakes, not to mention foster discontent among workers, who may feel undervalued or unappreciated. The best business leaders tend to be those who know how to put a good team together and who then go on to make full use of the talents of their personnel.

Striking the right balance

Another string to the bows of many businesswomen is the fact that they often have interests outside of the work arena that can help to give them a more balanced approach to their tasks. Lots of women play important roles looking after loved ones. This can bring a myriad of benefits to businesses. By striking the right balance, bosses stand a better chance of being able to think clearly and avoid suffering from tunnel vision. Also, by operating in different capacities in the office, at home and elsewhere, women can ensure they bring a wide range of skills to the workplace.

Given the many advantageous qualities that women have to offer the world of commerce, it should come as no surprise that they’re making such big waves in modern business. It seems likely that as opportunities for women continue to expand in many countries across the globe, the influence and success of female entrepreneurs will go from strength to strength.

Or maybe they want us to think that’s what other people are doing, and consequently ask ourselves ‘why aren’t we?’ Of course we can aspire to this desirable state, and pretend we’ve made it, by buying their ready to cook meals, the latest 5-door hatchback or a designer handbag (complete with pockets for all the iPhones, iPads and assorted devices that are clamouring for our attention).

But this pressure can be a contributing factor to making you feel as though your life has turned toxic: there’s not enough time; too much to do; people in your life who drain your spirit rather than nurture it; a sense that somewhere along the line, you missed your true purpose; the dread that you’ll get to the end of your life and wonder what you did with it.

Of course we’re all more or less busy and need help from time to time but helping us is not, I feel, the marketer’s primary motivation.

So, rather than take expensive shortcuts without providing a long-term solution to the problem, why not let’s look at what we can do to ease the strain and stress permanently and cheaply?

Picture your mind as a suitcase

It starts off empty and has things shoved into it, sometimes neatly folded and carefully arranged, and sometimes just crammed into any available corner. After a while, there are things at the bottom that you haven’t seen or needed for some time and you’ve forgotten they’re there. You just go into it for the things that are easily to hand at the top, and anything new has to be squashed in willy-nilly. The case starts to bulge and creak and you have to put tapes around it to keep it closed.

The moment has arrived when the best solution is to get everything out, sort through the contents and get it into some sort of order. There’ll be things that you definitely need and value, things that you’ll want to be able to access easily, and things that have passed their use-by date which can be turfed out to make space for new, more attractive items.

Just so with your mind

All the things you’ve learned, all the impressions you’ve received, all the ideas, dreams and decisions your fertile brain has created are packed away. And they sit there, sometimes contributing usefully, sometimes festering and contaminating what’s around them.

You wake up one day and think “What if I’ve left it too late?” Too late to find out what my purpose truly is. Too late to choose a more exciting direction. Too late to live the kind of life you can look back on with a feeling of accomplishment.

Guess what? – it’s NOT too late. It’s never too late. You could go under a bus tomorrow and, if you’ve taken action today to make a difference, if nothing else you’ll be able to conk out thinking “Well, at least I made the choice to start doing what I love.”

So, what to do?

First of all, you need to change the way you think. It’s not easy but it is easier than it sounds. The way you think is just the product of habits and beliefs you’ve acquired over the years, and these are the things you need to change. Unfortunately, that’s the tricky bit – especially when habits and beliefs are so ingrained; you don’t even notice them.

Whether you got certain impressions and beliefs from your parents, teachers, friends, school bullies, TV or whatever, and whether you were aware that they had crept into your mind or not, you’re carrying with you the accumulated baggage of all those years. Ask yourself where your beliefs came from and decide which ones are serving you now, and which ones are holding you back?

A good clear-out will work wonders!

Whose priorities govern your life?

This is the next question. If you’re not clear on what’s truly important to you, it’s easy to be steamrolled by someone else’s agenda. We all have values (and live by them) but we’re seldom conscious of them, so reviewing them is the first step to making sure they’re honoured.

Do you arrive at decisions that you trust? Do you go with your gut instinct and then worry you’ve missed something? There’s nothing wrong with gut feelings – they’re often justified, whether we can explain them or not. It does help though, to have a systematic process that you can call on to help you make choices you can have confidence in.

And, right up there with all of these, is the need to be clear about where you’re going: how else will you know whether or not you’re heading in the right direction and whether you’ve reached your carefully selected destination?

Sadly, we’ve often been schooled to choose on the basis of being ‘realistic’, which is usually just another word for what someone else thinks is worthwhile and achievable. I would wager a bet that Mick Jagger’s teacher wouldn’t have rated his ambitions very high on the ‘realism’ chart.

Yes, being realistic is important but not until we’ve dreamed up the best possible scenario and worked out what elements we want to extract and implement for ourselves.

Once you’ve got these areas of your life in the best possible shape, once you’ve flushed the toxins out of your system, you will be refreshed and revitalised – ready to create opportunities and make the most of all of them!

What do you think – have you gone through a detox process? Let me know what you think in the comments below!

]]>http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/simple-tricks-to-help-you-detox/feed/027829How to celebrate being a people pleaserhttp://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/youre-a-people-pleaser-heres-how-to-celebrate-it/
http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/youre-a-people-pleaser-heres-how-to-celebrate-it/#respondSun, 13 Aug 2017 09:00:03 +0000http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/?p=28366People pleasers get a bad press in business circles. ‘Stop it!’ you’re told. ‘Think of yourself instead’. Nonsense, I say. Celebrate it. Make the most of it. But do it on your own terms. If that sounds like a contradiction in terms, here’s why. For some, the idea of delighting others isn’t just a nice […]

For some, the idea of delighting others isn’t just a nice thing to do, it’s a deeply powerful motivation.

And yet they’re continually being told that it shouldn’t be.

The danger with people pleasing is that you can find yourself dominated by someone else’s needs, wants or values. That’s unquestionably damaging. If those values aren’t the same as yours, it creates tension between your inner world and what you feel obliged to do.

People pleasing is harmful when it leads to pressure, compromise of your personal values, or running your life according to someone else’s expectations.

But if you can understand how it works, you can use it to your advantage.

People are motivated more strongly by their inner world or their outer world. Inner Worlders like autonomy, while Outer Worlders love connection. It’s nothing to do with sociability – plenty of Inner Worlders are extroverts, and Outer Worlders are introverts. However, for Outer Worlders, the idea of connection, recognition or feedback from other people is motivating in its own right.

Outer Worlders actively look for feedback, connection, or understanding first hand the impact of their actions. Those things – and even the idea of them – provide a real boost of motivation when they’re struggling.

If you’re an Outer Worlder, the problem comes when you don’t achieve that connection in supportive places. Because it’s such a strong need, you’ll turn to groups or people that don’t help you, or whose values or expectations run counter to what you want or need. Failing that, you’ll try to convince yourself that you shouldn’t need other people, and find yourself frustrated and demotivated as a result.

A sensitivity to other people is a wonderful gift to have.

Here are 5 essential things to do, to use it to your advantage.

5 ways to make the most of being a people pleaser

1. Visualise pleasing on your terms

When you set yourself an objective or goal, work out very clearly exactly who will benefit from it. Understand how they’ll find it valuable. Visualise that result in as much detail as you can, and return to it whenever you’re feeling unmotivated.

2. Build real relationships into your work

Set up opportunities to make connections face to face. If you want to get feedback on a service or product, don’t just do an online survey, but set up an informal focus group or individual conversations. If sharing motivates you, volunteer to speak at local groups.

3. Build a positive network

Actively build up a network of supportive people who you talk to regularly about your work or life. Positive input from enough people who understand what you’re about will help meet your desire for approval or acceptance, and you’ll be less affected by negative expectations. Even one or two strong positive relationships can make all the difference.

4. Develop your early warning system for energy vampires

There are plenty of people who want to take advantage of your good nature, and you need heightened self-awareness to avoid being sucked into situations that exploit and drain you. If you offer help, notice whether support is quickly reciprocated in some way, or whether expectations of it soon starts to escalate. Create a script, if necessary, to help you get quickly out of situations that look as though they’ll be one-way only.

5. Stand firm on your values

Clearly identify the values and principles that are important to you. It’s easier to turn down a chance to ‘help’ when you have a clear positive reason for doing so. For instance, if you give away too much time for free, consider whether you can reframe it in terms of prioritising that time for your family. If you’re encountering pressure to do something differently, keep clearly in mind why your way is important to you.

]]>http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/youre-a-people-pleaser-heres-how-to-celebrate-it/feed/028366What is the secret to authentic success?http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/secret-to-authentic-success/
http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/secret-to-authentic-success/#commentsTue, 01 Aug 2017 09:07:22 +0000http://www.women-unlimited.co.uk/?p=15420Do you want to be your amazing self, share your unique talents with the world, get paid lots of money for it and be completely happy as a result? Then follow this path to success. The woman sat across the expansive, wooden desk from me, preparing to ask her final interview question. “So Jenny,” she […]

]]>Do you want to be your amazing self, share your unique talents with the world, get paid lots of money for it and be completely happy as a result? Then follow this path to success.

The woman sat across the expansive, wooden desk from me, preparing to ask her final interview question. “So Jenny,” she inquired, looking at me over the top rim of her glasses, “where do you see yourself in five years?”

As soon as she asked it, I fought the urge to cringe outwardly. Instead, I maintained a professional-like expression, but thought:

There it is…THE DREADED QUESTION.

Up until this point, the interview had gone well. I had no doubt a job offer would soon be forthcoming. But try as I might, I could not muster a reply to her question or continue to feign enthusiasm for the job position either.

As such, the prolonged silence in the room grew uncomfortable, even awkward. I fidgeted in my seat as my mind raced to come up with an acceptable answer.

More than anything—and sorely tempted to do so—I wanted to reply, “To be honest, Trudy, I don’t see myself in this job or in this career field at all. And if I’m still here in five years, I pray someone shoots me to end my misery.”

Yet since I was the ever consummate professional, that reply was not a viable option. In addition, I desperately needed the job with its well-paid salary and full benefits. The problem was I simply could not bring myself to answer the question the way I knew she wanted me to answer it.

That’s when I made the decision that changed my life.To hell with this job, I thought. Deep within me, I could no longer pursue something purely for money or for security—no matter how badly I needed it at the time.

Instead, I now required and desired something much, much more: Authentic success.

I had a vision for my life and this wasn’t it. So I politely thanked Trudy for her time and quickly exited the building…as a free woman.

Next, I went on to build both the career and the life I wanted for myself. In the process, I realized the first and most important secret to success is always to just be me—and for you, it’s to just be you.

After all, isn’t that what we all desire? Don’t we want to be our amazing selves, share our unique talents with the world, get paid lots of money for it and be completely happy as a result?

Yet, that’s not what usually happens is it?

Instead, whether we are an individual or an entrepreneur somehow or somewhere along our path to success we begin to master the subtle art of conformity. Despite our initial attempts to stand out from the crowd, to be unique or to blaze our own trail, we ultimately end up just trying to fit in.

Too often, in responding to everyone else’s needs or wants on the path to success, we tend to forget the vision we once had for our lives—a vision that is as individual and as amazing as we are.

As a result, over time this vision morphs and changes in such a way we no longer see ourselves in it or us in our own lives. Yet far too often we continue to push forward anyway.

Then, when our success feels empty or continues to remain elusive and our lives feel unfulfilled, we don’t realize it’s because we forgot to bring ourselves and our dreams to it. Which is why, if we want to create authentic success, we need to bring the focus back around to us.

To our goals. To our dreams. To the life—and lifestyle—we truly want to live.

Yet to do this, requires we first redefine success. Because the kind of success I’m talking about expands far beyond achievement, material stuff and money–although these are all amazing things that we should definitely have in abundance in our lives!

In a nutshell…success is being who we want to be and living the life we want to live.

In order to do that, we need to create or reconnect with a life vision. Only this time around, we don’t simply focus on identifying the “what we want”. We pinpoint and name the reason “why” we want it, too.

This way, we double-check ourselves to ensure none of our answers are a means to live up to an expectation or a “should”. Instead, our goal is to create a life vision that becomes the means by which we articulate and live out our newly, redefined image of success.

Last, but not least, we act in our own best interests, trusting fully that when we do—that when we are our own best selves—the world becomes a much better place for it.

To do so, though, requires all our choices and actions align with our life vision. That we step boldly and confidently into who we want to be and how we want to live—and which is exactly what we’ll do because, this time around, we are so much wiser.

Because now we know where the road leads when we don’t remain true to ourselves, to our goals, to our dreams or to our life vision—and we have no desire to end up there once again.

As a result, not only do we realize how powerful this secret to success is, we also discover something else. We discover how amazing we truly are and how incredibly successful our lives can be when we have the courage and commitment to honor our life vision and tojust be ourselves.

]]>http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/secret-to-authentic-success/feed/215420How to win your dream client with the perfect pitchhttp://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/how-to-win-your-dream-client-with-the-perfect-pitch/
http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/how-to-win-your-dream-client-with-the-perfect-pitch/#commentsSun, 09 Jul 2017 10:00:47 +0000http://www.women-unlimited.co.uk/?p=12888It’s the big moment where you’ve finally got yourself in front of the decision makers at your dream clients. You have time to give a short presentation and you know that the next few minutes are crucial for whether you leave the would-be client with a sense of ‘Wow!’ or a sense of ‘Oh.’ So […]

]]>It’s the big moment where you’ve finally got yourself in front of the decision makers at your dream clients. You have time to give a short presentation and you know that the next few minutes are crucial for whether you leave the would-be client with a sense of ‘Wow!’ or a sense of ‘Oh.’ So how do you pitch to win?

For many women entrepreneurs the idea of asking for money for what we do seems terrifying. Then combine that with the terror of giving a presentation and you’ve got one of the most challenging tasks that business owners have to face on a regular basis – winning business. So how do you make pitching an experience that’s not only tolerable, but enjoyable? And not only passable, but powerful?

1. Throw one ball at a time

The word ‘pitch’ is an interesting one. To me ‘pitching’ evokes images of high school baseball players on a hot field in movie-ville America, one guy in the middle of the field getting ready to throw a ball. For the game to work there needs to be only one ball in play at a time. The Pitcher throws that one ball and the batsman tries to hit it.
Simple.

And yet when we compare this to pitching in business, it doesn’t seem so simple. Have you ever tried to sell your business, or your services, but found yourself talking about too many things all at once? It could be too many options, too many products or too many reasons for purchasing. It’s like throwing 50 balls at once in the hope that one of them will be hit. Chances are your batter will get confused and miss them all.

Treat every ‘ball’ you pitch as a precious opportunity to influence; to get a space in the head of your client.

A good place to start is by asking: If you only had one ball, what is the ball you’d pitch? In other words, what’s the key message that you’d like to get across about your idea, business or product?

Spend some time getting really clear on what your key message is by:

Brainstorming all the possible messages you could have.

List all the benefits of your product / service;

all the reasons why this dream client might engage with you;

all of the unique features you offer and all of the wonderful changes that would happen if you worked together.

Consider your dream client: –

What are the most pressing needs that they face?

What is the main problem they want for you to solve?

Next, ask yourself : –

which of these benefits are most important?

Which are most unique?

Trim down the weak ones.

Now comes the tough decision:

Of all of the important items left, which are the most powerful?
Peg this down and you have your key message…

Develop your key message into a powerful statement about who you are, what you offer and why it will benefit that dream client of yours.

Once you have your key message, you have focus.

Your message will now start to be really clear for you (which is so important when you’re at a nerve-wracking pitch) and, crucially, it will be clear for your dream client.

2. Make sure the ball is made of the right stuff.

A ball made from sponge cake may leave your hands ok, but it will break up on the way to the batter because of its lack of structure. Make sure your key message has 3-4 key elements to back it up, support it and deepen its message.

Here, think about using content to make your message memorable to your dream client. For a message to be remembered it needs to resonate. For a message to resonate it needs to be both relevant to the listener and unique in their minds. So think of something that’s both really relevant to the needs of the dream client and that they won’t have seen before.

PowerPoint, for example, is not unique and may well remind your dream client of 100 other boring pitches they’ve sat through. So get playful. Think how you can add texture, interest, intrigue, laughter, colour and movement to your presentation. Involve your audience. Be cheeky!

The more real you are as a presenter, the more they will like you. And whilst we think we’re rational beings, most business decisions are based more on emotion that they are on logic.

3. Make sure the ball reaches the other side

Careful messaging and compelling things to say and show are all well and good, but if you don’t throw the ball hard enough, it won’t even reach the batter (cue memories of playing rounders at school). If you don’t fully back your own message, why on earth would that dream client be convinced.

So check your message out. Why is it so important that this person works for you? Think not only about why it’s important for you to work with them, but why it’s important for them that they take you on. Get convinced, without needing to be cocky. And believe it, because you’re in business for a reason – you’re damn good at what you do.

Claim your client. Shine your enthusiasm over them. Tell them “I want to work with you.” And then let go of whether they do or not. There’s nothing strange or selfish about putting your full belief behind what you do, yet it’s something so many women struggle with. Remember that whatever they are paying you, they are getting benefit for.

4. Enjoy the game

Pitching doesn’t need to be a scary experience, provided that you stay true to yourself and you realise it’s only a game. Make an effort, yes, but don’t completely change yourself just to impress a client, just as you wouldn’t change yourself to impress a new man (would you?). Even your dream client can be replaced with another client that turns out to be even better to work with, so there’s no need to build up any pitch in your mind as a ‘must win.’ When you’re relaxed and authentic, you’ll do a better job, you’ll enjoy it more and you’ll impress more.

5. Throw the ball. And then leave it. Job done

Finally, when a pitcher has thrown the ball, they don’t chase after it, trying to adjust its position, or make it look better, or bring it back to them. When you’ve done your pitch, you’ve stated your case. Done. Stop talking. It’s so easy to undermine the power that you’ve created by talking yourself out of the deal. By avoiding leaving your dream client in a position where they have to say yes or no. So stop talking and allow them to answer.

Take a moment to sit in your power and enjoy it, rather than wriggling away from it.

Pitching may not come easily to begin with, but it’s one of the most powerful ways to win work. Don’t expect to be perfect first time and enjoy the journey.

About the Author: Sarah Lloyd-Hughes is a public speaking coach and author of the Amazon Bestseller, “How to be Brilliant at Public Speaking” (Pearson). See www.gingerpublicspeaking.com for more information and some juicy freebies around how to become an Inspiring Public Speaker.

]]>http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/how-to-win-your-dream-client-with-the-perfect-pitch/feed/312888How to deal with that ‘difficult’ client or colleague…http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/who-presses-your-buttons-dealing-with-difficult-people/
http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/who-presses-your-buttons-dealing-with-difficult-people/#commentsSat, 25 Feb 2017 08:00:27 +0000http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/?p=28475Do you work with someone who really presses your buttons? They take credit for others’ work, always find fault, are always talking about themselves; undermine you at every opportunity. Ring any bells? No matter how positive you might be feeling, they somehow manage to trigger you so that you end up feeling irritated, annoyed, withdrawn, […]

They take credit for others’ work, always find fault, are always talking about themselves; undermine you at every opportunity. Ring any bells?

No matter how positive you might be feeling, they somehow manage to trigger you so that you end up feeling irritated, annoyed, withdrawn, upset.

What if that person is a client? Or a team member you manage who never listens, or the supplier who wants to haggle over their price?

Difficult people are everywhere! If we accept the premise that people buy from people they know like and trust, how do you handle it when you find someone difficult?

If you want the situation to change, it really is down to you to do something about it. Perhaps you’re reluctant to confront these kinds of situations — you don’t like conflict, you want to be liked. But the reality is, that it won’t get better and can get worse, with misunderstandings and resentments simmering under the surface that can erupt inappropriately.

Poor working relationships can be a source of genuine stress, not only for the individual involved but for everyone in your business.

So having decided you really do have an issue, what should you do?

The place to start is ‘you’

Are you sure the other person is really the problem, could you be over-reacting? Have you always had difficulty with the same type of person or behaviour? Whether it’s a client, your business partner or a member of the team you lead; understanding your own impact on the situation means you can do something about it.

You can’t change someone else but you can do something differently.

As a first step, how does your perception of the situation change if you think about the ‘difficulty’ as a behaviour, rather than it defining the whole person, particularly if you notice you have a similar reaction to several people.

Try to keep your emotions out of it as much as possible.

Ask yourself two questions:

what are the facts in this situation?

what’s the story I’m telling myself about those facts?

Making this distinction allows you to stand outside the situation and be more objective, rather than simply reacting.

Separate yourself from your emotional reaction and ask yourself what you would do when you’re ‘at your best’.

Another useful approach is to view the situation through the eyes of the person who triggered you.

Counterintuitively, one of the most powerful ways to take control of the situation, is to find a way to appreciate where the other person is coming from.

For example, a client of mine had a real issue with a team member he perceived to be lazy and slow. In fact, this director (my client) was not comfortable delegating, and expected his team to undertake tasks in the same way that he did. This meant he was constantly finding fault where really there was none; it was just a different approach to prioritising and handling the job. So rather than judging his colleague as lazy, and by exploring his own role in the situation, we found ways to address the issue.

By shifting focus back to the more strategic aspects of his role, the director is now better able to let go of the detail and the team member feels more appreciated (and is therefore more productive)!

The truth is, however, that sometimes your worst fears about another person turn out to be true. You may even have confronted the person directly and with objectivity, but the issue hasn’t been resolved.

So you may decide to let go of that relationship, having considered other approaches. Sometimes that is the only solution but it’s important to consider other approaches first.

We all have blind spots, so it may simply be that no one has ever told that individual how their behaviour affects others

I recently worked with the MD of a small business, who was having difficulty with a key team member who had played a significant role in winning a big contract.

The individual was not turning up for meetings, calling in sick and when she did come in, was working to her own agenda.

With support and guidance the MD realised she had given her subordinate too much power in the sales effort, and was struggling to reign her in. She sat down with the team member and expressed her concerns and restated her objectives and role.

Ultimately however, the individual was managed out of the business — the behaviour didn’t change and she became an increasingly disruptive influence with the rest of the team. If all else fails, an individual leaving the organisation may be the best outcome for all concerned.

Not tackling these “difficult people” is a disservice to the individual, other team members and ultimately the success of your business.

Oh and guess what – we are all potentially someone else’s difficult person!

]]>http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/who-presses-your-buttons-dealing-with-difficult-people/feed/228475Video: Elizabeth Gilbert on nurturing your creativityhttp://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/video-elizabeth-gilbert-on-nurturing-your-creativity/
http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/video-elizabeth-gilbert-on-nurturing-your-creativity/#respondSun, 19 Feb 2017 09:25:55 +0000http://www.women-unlimited.co.uk/?p=5005Through the wonderous journey that blog hyperlinks can take you to, I came across this fabulous TED video featuring Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat Pray Love. I have not read her book, but was transfixed by this video. In it, Elizabeth discusses the angst and fear that surrounds the creative process and the impact […]

]]>Through the wonderous journey that blog hyperlinks can take you to, I came across this fabulous TED video featuring Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat Pray Love. I have not read her book, but was transfixed by this video. In it, Elizabeth discusses the angst and fear that surrounds the creative process and the impact of that fear the lives of the creative people within our society.

This warm, humourous and moving video is a must see for anyone who struggles with worrying about whether what you create is good enough. In it, Elizabeth shares her solution for dealing with the anguish that exists when creative people are producing something new and it occurred to me that it was relevant for entrepreneurs too. As an entrepreneur you are constantly putting yourself and your vision, ideas, products, services out there for the world to consume. And occasionally you worry that it’s not good enough or you worry about how the world will respond to your offering. If that sounds like you, I recommend that you watch this video and find peace with your genius.

]]>http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/video-elizabeth-gilbert-on-nurturing-your-creativity/feed/05005Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Lesshttp://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/essentialism-the-disciplined-pursuit-of-less/
http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/essentialism-the-disciplined-pursuit-of-less/#respondThu, 16 Feb 2017 08:00:50 +0000http://womenunlimitedworldwide.com/?p=28421Welcome to Monday and Welcome to Book Love! Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown, is a book that every micro-entrepreneur or small business owner needs in their toolkit. Have you ever had the feeling that the business you’ve created has become a beast. That not only does it consume you, but you can’t […]

Have you ever had the feeling that the business you’ve created has become a beast. That not only does it consume you, but you can’t even remember what the one essential thing was, that you wanted to create in the first place?

Are you too scared to turn down any opportunity in case you miss out? Do you say yes to everything and then find you’re being stretched so thin that nothing you do has any impact, or makes the contribution you passionately want to make?

Greg’s book can help you unravel the decision-making process that takes you from trying to do everything, to finding your own definition of essentialism and learning the craft of ‘saying no gracefully’ – so that your time is devoted to that one thing.

Greg’s reviewers say

Essentialism holds the keys to solving one of the great puzzles of life: how can we do less but accomplish more? A timely, essential read for anyone who feels over-committed, overloaded, or overworked—in other words, everyone.

It has already changed the way that I think about my own priorities, and if more leaders embraced this philosophy, our jobs and our lives would be less stressful and more productive. So drop what you’re doing and read it. (Adam Grant, Wharton professor and bestselling author of GIVE AND TAKE)

And after reading it in one sitting (well one and a train ride) I couldn’t agree more… it’s easy to read, harder to do, but so liberating when you come to the realise that to gain the greatest rewards, you have to work on the one thing you care about the most.

So grab a copy if it appeals to you, and let me know what you think in the comments below!